§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to safeguard against unauthorised leaks and misuse of personal information from police computers.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe Department has issued a code of practice for the protection of personal data held on the police national computer, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, and a memorandum on the security of the police national computer and force computers connected to it. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police Inspectorate oversee the proper application of the procedures set out in the code.
The security of local police computers is a matter for individual chief officers to whom the Department has issued general guidance on the protection of personal data.